Since he first picked up a can of spray paint in 1979 and began tagging under the name Shoe, Dutch artist Niels Meulman has been thinking about how to leave his mark on the world—quite literally.

With his new show, “The Unearthly Paintings,” at White Walls Gallery, Meulman expands on his philosophical musings regarding existence, alchemy, and outer space via huge typographical paintings in a style he’s dubbed calligraffiti. The large pieces are painted with brooms and paint bombs, juxtaposing the formal writing of an illuminated text with the immediacy of street art. 

Runs July 12–Aug. 9; White Walls Gallery, 886 Geary Street 

Niels 'Shoe' Meulman x Justified Scriptures x 941 Geary from Colin M Day on Vimeo.